Have you ever though how much you can learn from a day in a museum?
Well, I’m here to share with you the marvels I found in Villa Borghese, along with their stories.
Follow me down this thread to a world of myth and divine inspiration:
Apollo and Daphne by Bernini; the sculpture depicts the climax of the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphe, as the nymph escapes Apollo's advances by transforming into a laurel tree.
Can you see the dynamic movement? Can you see her transforming?
Zoom In.
Venus Victrix, meaning Aphrodite the victorious; she holds an apple in her hand evoking her victory in the Judgement of Paris, which caused the Trojan War.
Can you see the winner’s arrogance in her posture?
Speaking of the Trojan War, here’s Aeneas and Anchisses. The Trojan hero Aeneas, is carrying his old father after the fall of Troy.
Myth wants him to have founded Rome.
Can you see the strength in the body of the son carrying the fickle body of his father?
Intermission: just a couple of little angels looking at you at the gate arc.
Just another one of this breathtaking ceilings. This scene depicts the Greek myth of Phaethon, son of Helius - the Sun.
The boy took his fathers chariot, carrying the Light but, after many complaints, from the stars in the sky to the Earth herself, Zeus strikes Phaethon with one of his lightning bolts, killing him instantly.
David preparing to launch his projectile against Goliath; this is the biblical story depicting David determined to win this fight for his life.
Another masterpiece of Bernini.
Can you see the determination in his facial expression? Zoom in!
And I saved the best fo last; Persephone’s abduction by Hades, also by Bernini.
This tragic scene depicts Hades, king of the underworld, abducting Persephone? Daughter of Demeter, Goddess of agriculture and nature. This Ancient Greek myth was used to explain the seasonal changes, as a deal was struck among the gods: Persephone would spend half a year above the ground with her mother (spring and summer) and half the year below (autumn and winter).
They ended up happily married.
Can you see her tears? Zoom in!
All photos are mine, from my travel diaries.
If you liked the stories, please share and spread the word. Our fellow humans need to see what our species is capable of.
A final shot of the three-headed good boy, Cerberus. I bet you don’t encounter this angle often.
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He chased them down to the shore and grabbed the stern of a fleeing Persian ship with his bare hands to stop it. The Persians hacked off his hand with an axe. Undeterred, he grabbed it with his other hand—only for that one to get chopped off too.
Then, in what might be the most hardcore moment in ancient history, he clamped onto the ship with his teeth, fighting like a "wild beast" until he finally fell.. here's the story..🧵⤵️
Cynaegirus (Κυναίγειρος), the Athenian warrior whose name means something like "hunter of dogs" in Greek—a fitting title for a man who hunted down his Persian enemies with ferocity. His story is tied to one of the most legendary battles in history: Marathon. 490 BC.
He was born into a prominent Athenian family, likely around the late 6th century BC. He was the brother of Aeschylus, who’d later become one of Greece’s greatest tragic playwrights, and Ameinias, who’d shine at the Battle of Salamis a decade later.
Picture Celtic marauding hordes fighting hoplites on a sacred mountain considered the navel of the Greek world; all the while Apollo was casting down thunderbolts to protect his Oracle.
All the above is true; here’s the story..🧵
The Galatian Wars were a chaotic, blood-soaked chapter of history where Celtic brutes collided with Hellenic forces in a series of epic showdowns. These were brutal, messy clashes driven by migration, plunder, and raw strength, set against the backdrop of the 3rd century BC.
By the 280s BC, the Celtic tribes of Western Europe—think war-painted, sword-swinging warriors with a thirst for glory—were spilling out of their heartlands (Western Europe). A massive wave of them, numbering tens of thousands, stormed southeast into the Balkans around 279 BC.
In these dark times, the West seeks strength in its roots: Greco-Roman civilization and Christianity.
But many claim that Christianity toppled Hellenism and Rome; can they coexist then?
I'm here to make the case for it..🧵⤵️
Some argue Christianity toppled Greco-Roman civilization by purging its pagan roots. When Constantine legalized Christianity and Theodosius I made it the state religion, the old temples got shuttered; the Oracle at Delphi fell silent, and pagan rituals were banned.
One way to approach this is through the rubble it left behind: the temples smashed, study sites silenced, and cultural heritage monuments destroyed.
Christianity in late antiquity didn’t just shift beliefs—it struck at the physical and intellectual heart of the Hellenic world.
In the early days of Christianity and as the Old World fell, many “messiahs” rose to spread their message through their powers: they levitated, cured the sick and raised dead.
Many proclaimed their divinity at the time but now history has forgotten them; this is their story..🧵
While the Greco-Roman world fell, certain figures have emerged as messiahs and prophets who captivated their time yet slipped through the cracks of lasting fame.
They had their own "faith" and performed miracles while they “competed” with Christian faith for a place in History.
We shall explore the stories of three enigmatic souls, born out of the Hellenistic spirit into a dying GrecoRoman world:
- Apollonius of Tyana, the wandering philosopher whose wonders rivaled Christ’s
- Simon Magus, the sorcerer-prophet who even had a standoff with Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome
This was a Greek warrior’s helmet; he took it with him in his grave.
Here’s the short story.. 🧵
I visited the Thessaloníki archeological museum, in Macedonia, northern Greece, where I had the chance to enjoy an exhibition dedicated to Macedonians, the Greek guardians of the North.
They had awesome replicas of siege machines and weapons, like this marine siege tower, the likes of which Alexander employed to take Tyre.
The ancients found passageways to another world; 3-headed beasts and ominous ferrymen made sure those dark realms stayed forbidden. And yet, there were some entry points.
Would you like to know where Underworld's Gates were?
In Greek lore, the Underworld isn’t just one spot; it’s a sprawling realm beneath the earth, ruled by Hades, the stern god of the dead (not an evil figure but more of a dark landlord). The "gates" aren’t a single structure but serve as a conceptual threshold.
They were guarded by Cerberus, the monstrous three-headed dog. He’s the ultimate bouncer and makes sure that souls don’t escape.
Heroes like Orpheus, who charmed him with music to sneak past, or Heracles, who wrestled him during his Twelve Labors, are rare exceptions.